Kim Collison slays Winter Spine Race demons as he wins ‘Britain’s most brutal race’

British ultrarunner Kim Collison put three years of Montane Winter Spine Race heartbreak behind him as he claimed a brilliant overall win at the 2025 edition in the third ever fastest time.

Billed as ‘Britain’s most brutal race’ it covers an epic 268 miles from Edale in the Peak District up to Kirk Yetholm on the English-Scottish border.

This year it started with snow and ice but once that thawed, boggy conditions and the threat of flooding became the challenge for the runners.

How the race panned out

Collison was the winner of the Swiss Peaks Trail 360 last year and has also triumphed in the Northern Traverse and Arc of Attrition in the past but has DNF next to his name in his three previous Winter Spine attempts in 2022, 2023 and 2024 despite some strong starts.

But this year there was no such disappointment as he led from early on and held off his rivals brilliantly.

Having set off at 8am on Sunday, he crossed the line shortly before 7pm on Wednesday in a time of 82 hours and 46 minutes.

Close call for second

There was an absorbing battle in behind which fellow Brit Dave Phillips ended up winning as he finished in second, just ahead of South African Tiaan Erwee, winner of the Summer Spine in 2022.

Fourth overall and winner of the women’s race was the remarkable Lucy Gossage – read more about her victory here.

Montane Spine Race Results, started Sunday 12 January 2025, 268 miles

MEN:

1. Kim Collison (GBR) – 82:46:32
2. Dave Phillips (GBR) – 85:58:08
3. Tiaan Erwee (RSA) – 86:05:09
4. John Kelly (USA) – 87:55:32
5. Max Moberg (FIN) – 89:52:48